Seven Years After Hiatus
by Savitri Marie
Summary: AU Story. Three friends, seperated by a storm. One passes away, the other two are left to believe each other are dead. So what happens when the supposedly dead friends meet once again? Rated for language and adult situations.
1. Chapter One: Before the Storm

_A/N)-Current ages of the characters: (Note: As more characters come into the story, I will be adding their ages)_

_Kagome- 17 _

_Inuyasha-18_

_Summary- _

_AU- Kagome and Inuyasha were separated 7 years ago. They are now in high school. Inuyasha's old girlfriend Kikyo was killed in the separation, so what happens when long lost friends meet once again? Will they still be grieving, or will they get past this tragedy? Rated for language and future lemons. Inu/Kag_

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Seven Years After

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Chapter One: Before the Storm

_Seven years before_

It was the heat of the day, around noon or one. The waves were brushing the shore, white horses showing further out in the body of water with the crashing waves. At the shore, however, it was just a calm movement. There were people all along the beach, families, friends, children, elders. All kinds of people. Three children in particular were sitting only a few feet away from the damp line of the sand. They were sitting in a sort of triangle; the male was closer to one of the females, however, more than the other.

The male of the group was around ten years old. He was skinny, but fit all the same. His muscles seemed to have just recently started developing. He had long silver hair that reached the small of his back, forelocks that reached his collarbone, and bangs that ended just so that they wouldn't cover his eyes. He had intense amber eyes, abnormal, but all the same, beautiful. His parted and grinning lips revealed pearly white, slightly elongated canine teeth. One would definitely notice them as different from human teeth. Set atop his head were a pair of furry silver pup ears. They twitched every which way, picking up every little sound. Adorable would be the only way to describe them. His fingers were crowned with long claws, again, noticeable as not human. At the moment, all he wore was a pair of red swimming trunks. He was sitting cross-legged and was listening/talking to the two girls with a bright smile on his face.

The cute little boy was an Inu Hanyo, named Inuyasha. His mother was a human, named Izayoi, and his father was the well known great dog demon, Inutaisho. His parents owned a computer corporation of some sort. The heir to this company was both him and his half brother, Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru a full demon, and ten years older than Inuyasha and if both of Inuyasha's parents were to come to early ends, Sesshomaru would take over the company. That is to say, if Inuyasha was still a minor if that happened. Sesshomaru was living in a different state, unknown to Inuyasha in the country.

Hanyo's weren't accepted easily in the current state of the world, but there were a few that would accept them. The two girls that were now keeping him company were included in that group.

The girl Inuyasha was sitting close to, knee to knee, was named Kikyo. Kikyo was about nine years old, and was skinny, without much of a womanly figure at this age, but was beginning to develop. She didn't have much muscle, but wasn't without strength. She had dark chocolate eyes that seemed to glint in the sunlight. Whether the glint was cheery or cold, one couldn't tell. She had long raven hair that reached the middle of her back, and flowed freely. Her features were sharp, and somewhat cold, amazing for this age. Kikyo had the blood of a priestess flowing through her veins, from her mother's side, and had a priest's blood as well from her father. They both owned a shrine in this state of California, and it was extremely successful. She wore a two piece swim suit, the top white, and the bottoms red. She also sat cross-legged, next to the hanyou, facing the third child of the group.

The third, and last of the group, was another girl, nine years young, and had the brightest, most adorable smile a person could wish to see from someone as innocent as she. Her features were soft, but unlike Kikyo, her figure was not yet developed. She had dark blue eyes, rimmed black, and raven black hair, that in the sunlight glinted with a dark blue hue. She wore a blue one piece suit that hugged her small body, and she sat cross-legged like the others. Her name was Kagome Higurashi, and she was also human.

Her mother was human, but she had never heard or seen of her father, so her ancestry wasn't complete in her mind. Her mother was one of the most successful doctors in the world, therefore providing Kagome with as much wealth as her two friends. She owned a huge medical center in Tennessee. Her mother was also in control of a shrine, in the same state as the medical center, but it was run more by her grandfather, rather than her mother.

* * *

Said mother was further away from the shoreline, about thirty feet, and sitting on her beach towel, watching the children. She was glad her little Kagome had those two as friends. The other girl she wasn't sure of, but the boy seemed to be sweet. 

The trio had known each other for a very long time. The first two to meet were Kagome and Kikyo. They met each other in their neighborhood, and instantly became friends. They were both five at the time. Later, Kagome met Inuyasha, at the beach during the evening. Inuyasha had not yet made friends in his new home, and it was quite difficult to, given the fact he was a Hanyou. Kagome, however, couldn't have cared less if he were half demon, half human. Then, a few days after that, Inuyasha met Kikyo, and as did Kagome and him, they became friends. Kagome and Kikyo became something of sisters. They told each other everything, and comforted each other.

Kikyo and Inuyasha became close. In something of the same way, so did Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome was always there for him when he needed someone with him. She was always a shoulder to cry on, a friend to console with, and a person to yell at. Kikyo's and Inuyasha's relationship was almost exactly the same. Except, she wasn't ever a shoulder to cry on, or a person to console with.

At the age of nine, Inuyasha asked Kikyo to become his girlfriend, and she accepted. Later in the year, Kikyo grew cold towards Kagome, for no reason at all. When Kikyo had reached her first menstrual cycle, she was just under eight and a half years old. Inuyasha had not yet reached his first heat, so it basically had no affect on him. All it meant was that she was a bit moody. She was very snappy towards Kagome. Kagome, however, was there for her first time, to comfort her, as well as Inuyasha, since he needed comfort too. But that we will go into later.

Nowadays, Kikyo was merely friendly to Kagome, not really thinking of her as her friend anymore. She was merely friendly with her for Inuyasha's sake. Inuyasha was still satisfied with Kikyo as his girlfriend and Kagome as his best friend. Although, to him, there was only just barely a difference. He just felt only a little stronger for Kikyo than he did Kagome.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kagome had gotten up and sauntered over to her mother, leaving Inuyasha and Kikyo to talk. She sat down next to her mother and pulled a camera from a knapsack on the ground. 

Inuyasha had stood, holding Kikyo's hand, and led her to the shoreline, letting both sets of feet be washed over by the water. Inuyasha stopped and turned to Kikyo, eyes locked with hers, both of his hands now gripping both of hers.

Kagome quickly drew the camera up to eye level, zoomed in, and waited. She was suppressing a fit of giggles and smiling widely. She knew what was going to happen. Anybody could see it coming.

Inuyasha leaned down, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips gently against Kikyo's.

Fortunately for Kagome Inuyasha wasn't paying attention to any sounds around him, so she could snap as many shots as she wished. Once the two had broken the kiss, leaving Kagome with more than enough pictures, she dropped the camera, rolled onto her back and broke into a fit of laughter. After a moment or two of trying to calm herself down, she got a grip and sat up. Kagome gave the camera to her mother, asking her to develop the pictures, and then ran off to meet her friends.

She took Inuyasha by the arm, and pulled him further into the water. Inuyasha let go of one of Kikyo's hands to follow Kagome, which in turn meant he still had a grip on Kikyo's other hand, dragging her along with them. The rest of the day was spent in the water, swimming, splashing; just having fun.

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After a little while, around five in the evening, Kagome's mother's supervising eye looked suspiciously at the sky. She had previously left them for an hour, to go get the pictures in the camera developed. The sun was going down, the air was getting colder, and the sky was covered in dark ominous clouds. There was a big storm coming. How big, she didn't know, but it wouldn't be something one would want to be caught in. She called the children out of the water, had them wrapped in their big fluffy towels, and set off for home. The kids were all getting slightly cold, from being wet, and the decreasing temperature was affecting them as well. 

Mrs. Higurashi gave Kagome three copies of the pictures she'd taken, intending that she gave them to her friends. The other two looked curiously to Kagome, wondering what it was she'd been given. Kagome gave one to Kikyo first, then one to Inuyasha, with a wide smile on her face. They both looked at her questioningly and she just nodded towards the pictures.

Inuyasha's reaction was a deep blush and a sweat drop. He smiled and almost laughed at it. He never heard her taking pictures. _'Sneaky wench…' _He put the picture in his pocket, wanting to keep it. He looked over to Kagome, who was smirking; extremelysatisfied with herself. He just shook his head and looked down at his feet, smiling

Kikyo, however, was not at all thrilled, or amused at the picture. Her hand curled around it and she crumpled it up. She wore a glare on her face that said, 'Say one thing, Kagome. One. Single. Thing.' Kagome just looked away from Kikyo, looking ahead of her at her slowly approaching neighborhood.

They all walked behind Kagome's mother, huddled together, walking closely. Kikyo was getting slightly irritated at how close Kagome was to Inuyasha. Kikyo, however, was being paranoid; Kagome wasn't too close for comfort at all. She glared at the ground traveling beneath her feet and huffed. Neither Inuyasha nor Kagome took notice to her attitude, so they continued on. The group quickly reached their Cul de Sac. The houses were practically mansions. At least seven of them were in the area. Kikyo's came up first, and she stomped up to the entrance, opening the door and disappearing into her home without a goodbye, or explanation to her attitude.

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow at his girlfriend's strange behavior. He looked to Kagome for any help, or some sort of explanation, but Kagome just shrugged, looking back ahead. She had no idea herself.

When they reached Inuyasha's house, Kagome and her mother said their goodbye's. Kagome gave him a hug before he went up to his own doorstep, and disappeared into his mansion. Mrs. Higurashi and her daughter quickly made their way to their home afterward.

* * *

For some unknown reason to Kagome, her mother told her to pack her clothes. Her mother had gotten a call stating that a hurricane was coming. The hurricane was supposed to be enormous, and their neighborhood would be in its path. Kagome, however, didn't know this. So she obeyed her mother, and they both left an hour later to the airport and out of Kagome's hometown.

* * *

Three hours later, Inuyasha and his family were preparing to go to their own basement, to hold out on the storm. Inuyasha desperately wanted to go to Kikyo and Kagome, to make sure both of his loved ones were safe. However his parents insisted on staying in the basement. They'd locked the door anyway, so he couldn't get out even if he tried. His family and their servants were all in the basement.

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Kikyo was in somewhat of the same predicament. She was in her house, packing her things to bring downstairs to the basement, and the storm was approaching. She brought down a suitcase and went back up to fetch the others. Her family, as well as their servants were all in the basement.

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The hurricane was now upon them. Inuyasha had a terrifying feeling crawling up his spine. He had started to panic. All he could think about was Kagome and Kikyo. _'Where are they? Are they safe? Please be okay… Kagome… Kikyo…'_

He wrung his hands and took a defensive position in the corner of the basement, covering his neck with his hands laced behind them, and his face to his knees. Tears were brimming his eyes. There was something wrong. He couldn't sense Kagome's presence any longer. His eyes screwed shut as the hurricane smashed over the houses of his Cul de Sac. He remained there in that position, being unmoved. He was sitting in the corner of the basement, away from everyone else. After a while, he fell into the dark abyss of unconciousness.

Kikyo was hurrying down the stairs to the basement when it hit. The mansion was being torn to pieces, the debris flieing relentles

* * *

sly around the area. Kikyo was practically picked up off the ground from the high winds. She let out a scream as she struck with debris. She went out cold in only a matter of seconds after impact. The last thought that ran through her mind was a cry of desperation, but something she couldn't manage to say it aloud. 

'_Inuyasha…'

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Kagome woke on the plane with a start. Her heart was racing wildly, and her heartbeat was the only thing she could hear for a few seconds. She was scared out of her wits. Something had happened. Something very bad had happened…

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.:End Chapter:. 


	2. Chapter Two: Forever and For Always

_A/N)-Current ages of the characters: (Note: As more characters come into the story, I will be adding their ages)_

_Kagome- 17 _

_Inuyasha-18_

_Summary- _

_AU- Kagome and Inuyasha were separated 7 years ago. They are now in high school. Inuyasha's old girlfriend Kikyo was killed in the separation, so what happens when long lost friends meet once again? Will they still be grieving, or will they get past this tragedy? Rated for language and future lemons. Inu/Kag_

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Seven Years After

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Chapter Two: Forever and For Always

It was near six o'clock in the evening. The waves of the ocean were calm, and the sunlight glimmered off of its glassy surface. The beach was nearly empty. Save one person. He sat near the edge of the water; his amber eyes had a glazed look over them as they stared blankly out into the deep blue waters. The man was lost in thought. And by the look on his face, they were no where near happy. He sat with his knees bent, and forearms resting on his knees. He wore a red sleeveless tank top that was slightly loose on him, but failed to conceal his well toned arms and chest. He also wore a pair of dark blue jean shorts, and went bare foot. His hands were entwined with each other, squeezing every once in a while at some of his memories, relieving some of the stress they brought. Around his neck was a black barbed wire pendant necklace. The necklace had a small silver sitting puppy pendant on it. His eyes were blood-shot looking, and his cheeks were damp from previously shed tears. He screwed his eyes shut and dipped his head down. Inuyasha couldn't stop remembering.

They just kept coming back. The memories just wouldn't leave him. Searching the crushed houses. Finding no sign of his first friend. His parents' dead bodies. Searching the second area, and finding her body… It was bloody, and lifeless. She'd been hit in the back of the head by some debris, which knocked her out, gave her a concussion, and ultimately, caused her death. He'd sat there, by her side, crying, for what seemed like days. A rescue team, or people who cleaned up the rubble, had come, and found him and the girl. They took her body, to give her a proper burial, and Inuyasha, putting him in a home. Inuyasha's older brother was alerted of his parent's death, and in a short few months, Inuyasha was out of the home, and into a home of his own. Sesshomaru had taken the liberty of hiring a caretaker and tutor for Inuyasha. Since Sesshomaru was now running the entire company, he decided it'd be good for his reputation to make it seem like he cared for his little brother.

Once every week he went to Kikyo's grave to grieve. One thing he'd kept throughout the years was the picture. The picture of their first kiss, and the thing that reminded him that he'd never see her again. He was distressed about Kagome as well. He'd never seen what happened to her body, but he knew he'd never see his best friend again. She was his first friend, the one who was there for him. She was always the shoulder to cry on, the friend to run to. He loved them both more than anyone could imagine. When he was younger he chose to ask Kikyo to be his girlfriend only because she seemed to be physically closer with him more. His feelings for both were basically the same. Kagome was his best friend, Kikyo, his girlfriend. Kikyo seemed to try to be more physical with him a lot more than Kagome. But he felt more comfortable with Kagome for some odd reason. He'd remembered one situation about eight or nine years back, one where she'd been there for him.

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.:Flashback:. _

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An eight year old Kagome knocked at Inuyasha's door. His mother had answered the door. When Kagome asked to see Inuyasha, Izayoi had told her that Inu wanted to be left alone. Of course, being best friends for so many years, Kagome only asked to see him just to be polite. So when Izayoi had closed the door, Kagome went around to the back of the house, climbed about halfway up one of the huge trees, leapt the foot and a half to reach the vines that grew on the side of the house, and climbed onto the windowsill of Inuyasha's bedroom. He was laying on his stomach, back to her, and had his head lying on his folded arms. She opened the window and climbed quietly through. She went to Inuyasha's bedside and knelt down to put her folded arms on the side and rest her chin on them. _

_Inuyasha had heard her come in, but didn't bother looking at her. Kikyo had blown up at him for no reason. She'd gotten mad all of a sudden and yelled at him. So, with hurt feelings, he went home, locked himself in his room, and sulked for an hour, before Kagome came. He just couldn't think of what he'd done! Did he say something wrong? No… Did he do something wrong? No again… It was driving him insane. When Kagome came, he felt slightly relieved. When she finally called out his name softly, he turned to look at her, and gasped. She had a yellow and purple-ish bruise next to her right eye that went down to her cheek bone in a crescent shape. She smiled sweetly at him, not remembering her shiner, and asked what was wrong. She already knew that Kikyo yelled at him, since she'd already gone to see Kikyo about it. The results of her meeting with Kikyo were obvious… _

"_Kaggy… What'd you do?" Inuyasha asked. He sat up and pulled Kagome up onto the bed with him so that she was sitting across from him. Kagome was used to Inuyasha's hanyo strength by now. Even at his age he could lift more than Kagome's weight without a problem. Kagome was unphased by his action. She was slightly startled by the question, though. What was he talking about? When she caught him looking at her cheek, she smiled and shook her head. _

"_Nothing, Inu. I just went to talk with Kikyo." She crawled over to sit beside him and he lay his head down on her shoulder. She understood that he was sad and confused. She also knew what he didn't. It was Kikyo's first menstrual cycle, and she was upset. Inuyasha had noticed a change in her scent, but thought nothing of it. Kagome decided to respect Kikyo's decision of keeping it secret, so she just comforted the hanyo. _

"_Kagome, what'd I do? Did I make her angry? Does she hate me now? What'd you do to get that bruise?" He looked up at her without moving his head and looked at the bruise. He lifted his head and licked the bruised cheek, but since it wasn't an open cut, it didn't help very much. He did this out of instinct, his dog demon heritage kicked in, and he already knew his saliva could help wounds heal. He frowned when all it did was get slightly lighter, and lay his head back down on her shoulder. Kagome thought nothing of his actions again, since she knew about demons, and their abilities. Inuyasha had taught her about them when they'd first met._

"_Inu, you didn't do anything. She's just having a…a rough time… She's just a little angry about something that happened at home. I went to talk to her, but… she didn't really want to talk… And I kind of pushed it, 'cause I wanted to know if you did anything to deserve being yelled at. She felt that I didn't have to know, but I kept asking until she told, but then she got angry and hit me. She said she thought that I was getting too close to you… But it's okay though. I know she didn't mean it. It's just her problem at home that's getting her all worked up. For some reason, I think she's jealous that I can talk to you like this, and she can't... I don't know, Inu... Don't worry about it though, just let her be mad..."_

_Inuyasha sighed nuzzled into her shoulder. She always made him feel better, always knew how to explain things. She turned slightly and hugged him. He lazily hugged her back, and just laid his head on its side, facing her neck. He knew she'd always be there for him. Forever and for always... _

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.:End Flashback:.

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Inuyasha's eyes were screwed shut so tight; one wouldn't think the tears would be able to make it through anymore. But they did, and he didn't try to stop them. It felt like it would never stop hurting. He wiped away the tears and opened his eyes. He pulled a pocket watch out of his shorts pocket and clicked it open. It had a worn out picture on the side, the picture of him and Kikyo. The watch was a gift from Kikyo, some years back for his birthday. His eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his face. He zoned out from the rest of the world, and fingered his necklace while looking at the picture. He hadn't noticed that a person had come to the beach and was now walking towards him, a little under twenty meters away…

* * *

When Kagome and her mother had arrived to Tennessee they went to the family shrine and settled in. Kagome had been troubled ever since she woke on the plane. She wanted to go back, but Mother said they couldn't. Mrs. Higurashi told her that they'd have to stay here, and that was why she had her daughter pack all of her things. However, her mother hadn't told her the whole story. She found out on her own about the storm. She'd been watching TV, and eating breakfast, before she started her new school, when the news came on. She listened to it and found that there had been a hurricane in her town in California. She listened to the whole thing, dead silent. It had shown pictures, footage… It was devastating. Her small neighborhood had been destroyed. And the reporter said nothing of her friends, only that many in the neighborhood had been killed. 

Kagome broke down. She locked herself in her room for weeks on end. She'd cried her heart out, not wanting to believe her two friends hadn't survived. She mostly cried over Inuyasha, since Kikyo had become rather cold to her, and wasn't really a friend. Kikyo, actually, didn't treat her like a friend at all, just a less-than-friendly acquaintance. Kagome distanced herself from her family, and people around her. She didn't go to school for the first week she found out, since her mother respected her grieving time. But when she did go to school, she made herself unknown. At the time she was in fifth grade. She kept quiet, didn't converse with anybody, did her work, and went home. She was severely depressed at the time. Her mother had sent her to a therapist, but Kagome refused to say anything. She wore sweats all the time and locked herself in her room. All she did was school work, eat, sleep, and grieve. She kept fit, however, and developed her figure at the age of ten. She was still in the fifth grade, about half way through, but still kept to herself. It didn't really have an affect on her. Kagome continued to stay invisible to the student body and kept her grades up.

* * *

One would never guess this about her. She'd come back to her hometown, to finally pay her respects to Kikyo and Inuyasha. Before, she just couldn't face it. One would never guess that this beautiful teenager would have been depressed. Or for that matter, would have been unhappy during any time in her life. She was almost always smiling and in a good mood. She was one of the most caring and social people one would ever meet. 

At the moment, Kagome had just gotten off her mode of transportation, and was stepping onto the beach. She breathed in the fresh scent of the ocean that she hadn't smelled in seven years. She slipped off her sandals and carried them, walking bare foot on the warm sand. Kagome had long flowing raven hair that stopped at the bottom of her shoulder blades. Whenever the sun shown on her hair and skin, it shown with a brilliance. Her hair had a blue tint to it, and her skin looked positively angelic. She had intense dark blue eyes, with a black ring around them. Her eyelashes were long and dark, her lips a full blood red color, and her skin fair and light. She didn't need any make up at all. Her figure was full and flawless, and was currently being shown off by the white fitting sleeveless tank top. Kagome's perfect slender legs were also on display since all she wore was a white ruffled mini skirt that went only slightly past mid thigh.

Kagome's eyes flickered from their current gaze at the ocean, to a young man sitting by the shoreline. He had the most gorgeous hair and the cutest ears she'd ever seen. Well, second best… In fact, he did look similar…-no. No, no, no, no, no. She wouldn't think about that. _'He's dead, Kagome. Just forget about it,'_ Kagome told herself firmly. She looked at the man and saw that he was sad… Crying… She was never the kind of person to just walk by and not do anything about something like that. Even if he was a stranger. Kagome decided to go to him and ask what was wrong…

* * *

Inuyasha lifted his head, and his nose and ears twitched. He heard footsteps. He smelled… what was it? It was locked away in his memory, something he couldn't forget, but couldn't place the name it was coming from. His eyes suddenly grew wide in disbelief. _'No… no, its not… But my nose never lies… But isn't she… they never found her body… Remember? No remains… That's why she doesn't have a grave…' _

He stood and spun around quickly to face her. His features were startled as he stared at her, wondering if it was just his mind playing with him. When he spoke his voice was rough and slightly choked, full of emotion.

"K…Kagome…?"

.:End Chapter:.


	3. Chapter Three: Who the Hell Are You

_A/N)-Current ages of the characters: (Note: As more characters come into the story, I will be adding their ages)_

_Kagome- 17 _

_Inuyasha-18_

_Summary- _

_Alternate Universe- Kagome and Inuyasha were separated 7 years ago. They are now in high school. Inuyasha's old girlfriend Kikyo was killed in the separation, so what happens when long lost friends meet once again? Will they still be grieving, or will they get past this tragedy? Rated for language and future lemons. Inu/Kag_

* * *

_Seven Years After _

* * *

_Last time… _

She was never the kind of person to just walk by and not do anything about it. Even if he was a stranger. She decided to go to him and ask what was wrong…

Inuyasha lifted his head, and his nose and ears twitched. He heard footsteps. He smelled… what was it? It was locked away in his memory, something he couldn't forget, but couldn't place the name it was coming from. His eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. _'No… no, its not… But my nose never lies… But isn't she… they never found her body… Remember? No remains… That's why she doesn't have a grave…' _

He stood and spun around quickly to face her. His features were startled and he stared at her, wondering if it was just his mind playing with him. When he spoke his voice was rough and slightly choked, full of emotion.

"K…Kagome…?"

* * *

Chapter Three: Who the Hell Are You 

Kagome stumbled backward out of shock, but was able to keep her balance, and remained standing. The look on her face screamed surprise and had a tint of fear. He looked **exactly **like Inuyasha. But… That couldn't have been possible. There were no survivors from that storm! The logical side of Kagome's brain kept making up excuses, and was clouding the truth. Kagome couldn't figure out which was telling the truth, her brain, or her eyes. She finally decided that her brain was playing tricks on her. Or, maybe this bastard in front of her was trying to mess with her as well. She couldn't think of anyone who would want to play a trick on her like this. She hadn't even told anybody about Inuyasha anyway! Either Kagome had gone off the deep end, or this man in front of her was messing around with her. Kagome chose the latter, but she was still scared, panicked. There was also that little voice inside of her head that said it was Inuyasha. It just didn't seem to shut up. _'God I hate all the voices.'_

"Wh-who the Hell are you? How do you know my name?" Kagome's voice was panic stricken as she took a step back. This guy must've been some kind of fucked up creep who liked messing with people. For all she knew he could be planning to harm her.

Kagome looked him up and down, trying to see if he had any weapons. All she noticed was a small pocket watch dangling loosely from his hand. The only other thing that caught her eye was a small necklace that glinted in the sun, creating a glare. She couldn't make out any details of it.

Inuyasha's grip on the watch slackened and it dropped to the sand. He stood there staring, and actually believing that she was there. His jaw literally dropped in awe. He had no doubt in his mind who it was. This girl,- no, this young woman, was breathtaking. And it was his Kagome. That, or Kagome had an identical twin sister. Obviously, that was out of the question. Her scent was almost identical to Kagome's. He understood the slight change, obviously she'd hit puberty. He'd learned to identify the change once he himself had undergone the change.

What made him positive, however, were her eyes. He could never forget those dark blue orbs. They spoke levels to him. The eyes really were windows to the soul. One could get lost in her beautiful…- wait. Did… Did she just ask who he was? A pang of hurt shot through Inuyasha. She… She didn't remember him?

"Kagome… you… you've forgotten me?" He took one step toward her, earning him one step back. She could see the sadness in his eyes; hear the hurt tone of voice. "You don't recognize your best friend…?"

"My best friend's dead, asshole! What're you trying to pull?" She yelled at the man, horrified. _'He's not Inuyasha. He's **not** Inuyasha!' _She kept thinking frantically. He was just some guy messing with her… Right?

Inuyasha flinched as Kagome yelled at him. What was he trying to pull? What the Hell was she talking about? He didn't die!

"Kagome, listen, it's me! Inuyasha! Don't you remember me? Look, does this prove anything?" he said, his voice filled with desperation. He stepped closer to her, grabbing her arm to keep her there. Quickly he pulled up his necklace to show it to her. He'd never taken it off. It was a birthday present, from her to him. It was the first birthday he'd ever had with a friend, and it was the first birthday present he'd ever received from one. Not only that, Kagome had her mother make it special for him. With her mother's powerful connections, she'd managed to get a hold of a jewelry company and have it custom made for Inuyasha. Kagome had made it specific that she wanted a silver dog pendant, and a barbed wire chain.

Kagome looked at him for a moment, considering whether or not he was telling the truth. Her mind was waging war against itself, it took her a moment. He sounded so sincere, and he had proof as well. That necklace, she remembered bothering her mother about having it custom made just for him. She looked up into those amber eyes, and immediately her mind was put to rest. Those gorgeous golden eyes never once lied to her. A soft smiled settled on her lips. For the first time in seven years, Inuyasha saw that beautiful smile.

"Inuyasha…" she said softly as she quickly wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight embrace. He was slightly surprised at the sudden contact, but once he regained himself, he in turn wrapped his arms around her as well. He was so relieved that she accepted him. He relaxed, a small smile adorning his lips. He nuzzled into her hair affectionately, taking in her scent, reveling in the feeling of her embrace.

"Inu… I've missed you so much…" Came Kagome's muffled voice. It sounded slightly choked, and Inuyasha could feel a slight wetness on his chest. She was crying. Kagome's face was hidden in the crook of his neck, but he could sense the tears wetting her cheeks.

"I missed you too Kagome… More than you know…" Inuyasha responded, his voices barely above a whisper.

If Inuyasha bothered to think about it, this was the first time he'd ever witnessed Kagome crying. She never allowed herself to cry, infront of any of her friends. The salty scent of Kagome's tears mingled with his own. He didn't care if he cried in front of her. They were tears of happiness. Who wouldn't cry after finding out their loved one was alive?

Kagome started mumbling and rambling about how she was sorry that she wasn't there for him. How she should have been there for him. About how she'd failed him as a friend. He didn't see how she'd failed him. Her mother had gotten Kagome to safety. As long as Kagome was safe, Inuyasha was satisfied. Inuyasha pulled away slightly, and a little unwillingly, but still kept his arms around the girl. When she looked up he smiled and spoke softly and comfortingly to her.

"Kagome, it wasn't your fault… Your mother controlled you at the time. She made sure you were safe, and I'm grateful for that. There was nothing you could do. I'm here now, aren't I? That's all that matters…" He smiled again and kissed her temple reassuringly. He pulled out of the embrace and put one arm around her middle to direct her a way he apparently knew.

"Come on, we can go to my place and catch up. I'm sure there has to be something new with you after seven years." He smiled and wiped his cheeks free of tears and directed her across the beach. She allowed herself to be directed to the small house right across from the beach. She wasn't really thinking at the moment. All of the things going through her head were jumbled and messed up. _'If Inuyasha's alive… then what about Kikyo?'_ It seemed like a legitimate question to her. But… wouldn't Kikyo be with Inuyasha if she were still alive?

* * *

When they entered his house, Inuyasha directed her toward the couch and went off into the kitchen to get them both something to drink. Kagome sat down, automatically crossed her legs, and waited idly for him to get back. When he came back in with two cans of soda, he sat down next to her and handed her one. Kagome turned to face him, ready to ask him the question, but was a little hesitant. She set the unopened can on a small oak coffee table in front of the couch and turned back to him, pondering what words to use and how to phrase her question. 

"…Inu… What about Kikyo?" Wrong turn. Inuyasha went stiff, and with a sigh, he set his soda down on the table in front of them. He leaned against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He willed the tears back, but his choked, emotion-filled voice gave him away.

"She… she's dead, Kagome… I f-found her dead…" The tears slid down his face, with his eyes still shut. Then, he broke down.

"It's my fault, Kagome… I should have been there to protect her… It should be **me **dead, not her! But I let her…" Inuyasha was stopped by Kagome's familiar embrace. The one he'd felt so many times before. Her arms were around his middle and she whispered comfortingly into his ear as he lay his head on her shoulder. He had just let out what had plagued his mind for years. He'd been thinking it was his fault, and had been berating himself over and over again for it. He blamed himself for her death, he didn't know what else to think.

"Inu, it's not your fault… You can't control the weather. There was nothing you could have done. It's in the past, Inuyasha. There's nothing you can do to change it. All you can do now is move on… Please don't let her death hold you back any longer. I realized that there was nothing I could have done a long time ago. It's high time you realize it too. Please, Inuyasha, let it go. It wasn't your fault…"

Inuyasha tried to calm himself down. After a moment, the tears stopped. Kagome was completely right, he knew. It still hurt, and he knew it shouldn't. It had been seven years, after all. He did need to move on. Then, a blush came to Inuyasha's face, and he became completely aware of the young woman hugging him, with her chest against his. He quickly pulled away and looked at Kagome.

This wasn't his innocent best friend anymore… She'd grown up. His eyes ran up and down her body. From head to toe. Her face, torso, legs, all of it. Every curve was perfectly proportionate… The little girl he dearly loved was gone, replaced by this beautiful young woman with a full body, long legs, and… Oh no… no no no no no… He couldn't feel this way about her. It was too soon. Too soon to be attracted to another woman. Namely, his best friend. _'Too soon? Too soon my ass… Seven years… It's been seven years. Kikyo is dead. Kagome is the only thing I have left.' _

After a moment or two, Inuyasha noticed Kagome's confused gaze. A tint of pink made it's way to his cheeks as he looked quickly away. Nervously, he picked up his can of soda and stood from the couch. He went to the nearby kitchen and set it down on the counter. "So, ah… H-How long are you staying here, Kagome?" he asked awkwardly, trying to think of something to distract him. The tint of pink still adorned his cheeks as he kept his eyes down, trying to busy himself with something. Seeing a roll of paper towels, he swiped one and started rubbing at a mess that wasn't there.

Kagome gave him a strange look as his mood seemed to suddenly change. She quirked an eyebrow, but answered him anyway. "Well… I was planning on staying for a week, but… Well, school doesn't start for another few weeks, I can stay longer I suppose…" she answered, considering staying longer for Inuyasha. She didn't have to think on it for long to get her decision.

Kagome got up from the couch and went to Inuyasha, wondering what he was up to. She was completely oblivious to Inuyasha not making eye contact with her, or him seeming to not want to be too close to her. Kagome leaned her back against the counter, turning her head to face him and crossing her arms under her chest. "Would you like it if I stayed longer, Inuyasha?"

"Of course I would!" Inuyasha told her immediately. He wanted her to stay as long as she could, and then some. He didn't want to think of Kagome leaving him again…

"Great," Kagome said with a small smile. "Well… A reason I came here was to visit uhm… Well, visit your graves. That and-"

"I can take you! I know where Kikyo's grave is, it's not that far. We can take my car, c'mon," Inuyasha told her hurriedly. He hadn't noticed the surprised look on Kagome's face as he interrupted her. She didn't mind, though, Kagome would just tell him the rest later. He seemed a little excited to take her there.

Inuyasha took Kagome by the hand, leading her out of the kitchen and through the house. They passed a few doors, and finally opened one of them, leading into a dark, rather cold room. Inuyasha reached to the side, feeling the wall, and flipped a switch.

The room was flooded with the light of a single fluorescent bulb. It shone down on a few boxes around the walls, and various random things that didn't belong inside the house. In the middle of the room was a light blue '65 Mustang. "Get in, it won't bite…" Inuyasha told her with a small smile as he went to the driver's side of the car.

As they both got in, they buckled their seatbelts, to avoid those nasty little tickets, and Inuyasha pressed the small button on the portable garage door opener that had been resting on the armrest in the middle of the car. He set it down in one of the empty cup holders in front of him, and as the garage door opened just enough, he sped out, and he and Kagome were on their way to the town cemetery.

* * *

A/N- So I see some of you like the story, that's good to know. I ended the chapter here, and if you read the other, horrible version of Seven Years After, you'll see that I made a change. Please do not hassle me about it, I know what I did, and I did it for a reason. Also, I ended this chapter a bit early, but believe me, nothing big will happen in the cemetery. There won't even be much on what happened in the cemetery, I just chose this as a good place to end the chapter. 

Right now, I have a case of writers' block. I am open to all suggestions you might have for upcoming events in the story, but if I do get suggestions, that doesn't mean I will use them. Just be aware of that, and don't get all offended if I don't. I only have a slight idea of what is going to happen in the next chapter, since I am still figuring out how to tie this story together, and get to a further point. I hope to reach the point, where in the last actual chapter in the previous version, where Inuyasha and Kagome live in the same area, and I will continue on with my origional idea, just severely revised. The chapters from now on will be extremely different from the previous story, but it still keeps the idea of it.

Any questions, comments, please feel free to ask.


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